


a brief inquiry into online relationships - Yaz

by yasminkhxns



Series: "and they were zoomates!" "oh my god they were zoomates" [1]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Collaboration, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Human AU, Human!thirteen, adding characters as they appear, and they were zoomates, illustrator!yaz, is that a tw?, it is now if u needed it, quarantine fic, tw coronavirus, writer!thirteen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:33:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23434723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yasminkhxns/pseuds/yasminkhxns
Summary: A writer, an illustrator, and a national lockdown. Forced to work from home, one online meeting might just change their lives forever.
Relationships: The Doctor/Yasmin Khan, Thirteenth Doctor/Yasmin Khan
Series: "and they were zoomates!" "oh my god they were zoomates" [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685803
Comments: 38
Kudos: 85





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hey everyone!!! yes i'm starting yet ANOTHER multichapter and what about it!!!
> 
> BUT this one is special and really exciting because it's a collab between me and @timlxrd based around [this](https://yasminkhxns.tumblr.com/post/613936277024325632) this tumblr post so please make sure you're reading her fic alongside this one as we'll always update at the same time as the stories go together! It'll be the other fic in this series so it's easy to find!
> 
> we both hope this is something that will be a bit of fun for everyone through this pretty shitty time and i hope you're all safe and doing well <3 
> 
> so without further ado, ENJOY

Sunlight peers through the blinds of Yaz’s window, the sun streaking lines across wine red sheets as the radio clicks on in the form of an alarm to wake the woman who lies in blissful slumber. The groan that muffles into a fluffy pillow signals her wakefulness to the lump of chocolate brown fur next her, a wet nose shifting to sniff at the crook of Yaz’s neck. 

“Luna,” Yaz rasps, pushing the dog’s head away while what she’s pretty sure is Lady Gaga plays throughout the room. Luna protests the push, sitting up only to flop over the top of her owner’s chest and leave slobber on Yaz’s chin when her tongue darts out in a generous kiss. “Ew,” Yaz complains, wiping her chin with her pyjama top, “Get off me you big lump.” Yaz laughs while scratching behind the labrador’s ear.

Though Luna being Luna, Yaz knows exactly what will stop her dog from crushing her, “Do you want,” she holds, watching in amusement as Luna’s ears prick up, “Breakfast?” Luna’s off the bed almost instantly sniffing at the door in anticipation as her tail wags excitedly. Yaz reluctantly pulls the covers from her form, slipping out of bed and grabbing her dressing gown off the hook on the door as she opens it, Luna darting through and straight toward the kitchen.

“I swear you only ever think with your belly and not your brain.” Yaz chides as she scoops kibble into a bowl, topping it off with half a can of tinned food. “Sit.” she commands, Luna’s backside hitting the floor instantly as she fidgets in excitement. “Wait,” Yaz holds her dog’s stare for a long moment as she waits impatiently for her breakfast. “Good girl!” Yaz praises as she points to the bowl, Luna already digging as she practically inhales her food. 

While Luna munches away, Yaz uses the opportunity to flick on the kettle and pull a mug and tea bag from the cupboard, scrolling through her phone as she waits for the kettle to boil. When a nose nudges at her leg, Yaz lets Luna out, occupying herself while her dog does her business by pouring the now boiling water into her mug and preparing her own breakfast of granola, fruit and yoghurt. 

Hot breath against her leg signals to Yaz that Luna is back by her side as she leans down to pet her head before moving to shut the back door and praise her dog for her good behaviour. Sitting down at her small kitchen table, Yaz eats her breakfast while Luna sits by her side, whether it's because of the food on the table or because she’s doing her job Yaz is never sure, and continues to scroll through her phone. She flicks through Instagram, liking artwork after artwork and the occasional picture of a friend or family member, unsurprisingly scrolling past a selfie of her sister’s. She’s tempted to leave a teasing comment, but decides otherwise when she realises she can’t be bothered with the chiding message she’d ultimately receive later on.

Finishing her breakfast, Yaz jumps in the shower, blasting music while she sings along, taking her time under the warm spray to keep herself in a relaxed mood. Her call isn’t until later, and she’d rather keep her anxiety under control for it. 

After finishing readying herself for the day, Yaz makes her way upstairs, another cup of tea in hand, to her makeshift studio. Popping the mug down on her desk, Yaz moves to open the curtains and let natural light spill into the room, the action toning pale walls different shades as rays of sun reflect off a multitude of plant life. Sitting down at her desk, Yaz slips on a pair of round rimmed glasses, rolls her wrists, opens her sketchbook, and picks a pencil from a paint speckled pot. Tugging the bobble from her wrist, Yaz pulls her still damp curls up into a messy bun before starting on a few warm up sketches, graphite gliding across paper fluidly as her wrist loosens up. 

The presence of Luna lying at her side is a constant comfort, the tickle of her tail fur against the slither of skin at Yaz’s ankle between leggings and fluffy socks a gentle reminder that she’s there. While Luna does her job flawlessly, Yaz restarts a bigger piece of work about ten times before falling against the back of her chair. She rubs a hand restlessly around the back of her neck as she sighs in frustration, Luna shuffling into a sitting position at the sound, head coming to rest on Yaz’s lap.

“It’s ok, I’m fine.” Yaz assures Luna, stroking her head and leaning down to press a kiss to short dark fur. “This is what I get for not practicing realism enough, eh?” Yaz quips, giving Luna a final pat on the shoulder before sitting up straight and flicking back through her sketchbook, eyes flitting over the myriad of sketchy characters that grace its pages. After a moment, Yaz flicks back to a fresh page and takes a deep breath before picking up her pencil once more, and starting another attempt. 

An attempt that goes about as well as the rest.

Her pencil clatters against the desk, Yaz’s head falling into her hands as she groans in irritation. “You know what?” she speaks to Luna, “I think I’m just too nervous. I can’t concentrate.” Yaz sits up again as she turns to the side to pet her dog, scratching under her chin as she continues the one-sided conversation. “Why did I agree to an evening call? Should’ve suggested a morning one just to get it over with. This is gonna build up all day, I can feel it.” Yaz sighs to herself as big brown eyes continually meet her own, “I’m an idiot, Luna, I know.” 

Yaz stands, picking up her now cold tea _—_ as she unfortunately finds out when she takes a sip _—_ and heads back downstairs. She pours the dregs down the sink, pulling out her phone and tapping on the FaceTime app. Soon enough her phone is ringing out as she slumps onto the sofa, Luna joining her until the call connects and another face pops up on screen.

_ “Hey Yaz, wassup?” _ Ryan asks raspily from the other end of the phone, clearly still in bed.

“You not got up yet?” Yaz laughs as Ryan pouts in response.

_ “...No.” _

“Ryan! It's nearly twelve, you're so lazy.”

_ “Am not. There’s just nothing else to do, stop bullying me.” _

“Whatever.” Yaz laughs again, a smile finally pulling at Ryan’s lips.

_ “Anyway, wassup Yaz?”  _

Yaz sighs as she thinks about the issue at hand. “Tell me again why I agreed to have this meeting on an evening?”

_ “Because you’re an idiot.” _ Ryan answers simply as he shifts to nestle his arm behind his head.

“Ryan,” Yaz whines, head lolling back against the cushions.

_ “I told you to ask about moving it to the morning.”  _ he chides.

“I know, I know. I just– I didn’t wanna piss them off or something. I really needed this job, especially now with this bloody lockdown.” 

_ “I know what you mean. I’d do anything to be at work right now. But Yaz come on, this is a children's book writer. You weren’t gonna piss them off. They’re probably just some old sunshiney lady who looks like a hippie or whatever.” _

“That’s a bit presumptuous.” Yaz frowns playfully.

_ “Am I wrong though?” _

“Yes! You are!” Yaz chuckles.

_ “Whatever, anyway Yaz you’re gonna be fine. Your art is great and you’re always really professional, and you’ve got Luna.” _

“But what if I’m not? I hate video calls Ryan, what if I stutter loads or the connection fails or she actually hates my work or I spill something on me or–”

_ “Yaz! You are overthinking this. Plus you’re literally on a video call right now.” _

“Yeah but you’re my best mate. That’s different.”

Ryan’s face scrunches a little,  _ “Yeah, ‘spose you’re right.”  _ He lets out a breath through his nose before carrying on,  _ “But you ain’t gonna stutter or spill something, your connection is gonna be fine and she’s gonna love your work, I promise. Besides, hasn’t she already seen your stuff?” _

“Course she has. That’s why she’s commissioned me.”

_ “Exactly! You’re gonna smash this, honestly. You would’ve smashed it if you could’ve gone out and actually met her, and you’re gonna smash it now. Alright?” _

Yaz glances around the room before relenting, “Yeah, alright.” 

_ “Good. You’re a great artist, man. And you’ve always got Luna there if it gets a bit much.”  _

“I know.” Yaz spoke softly, fingers brushing through dark fur. 

_ “Why don’t you take Luna for a walk now? Calm your nerves. I’d meet up with you but you know…” _

“We can’t.” Yaz sighs, the lockdown has only been a week and she already misses her best friend.

“ _ This sucks, man.”  _ Ryan grumbles, sitting up in bed and running a hand over his face until it gets to his mouth, stifling a yawn. 

“Yeah, kind of regret not moving back into my parents for this. I know I’ve got the dog but it already feels a bit lonely.” Yaz admits, pulling Luna a touch closer when her chest tightens with a quiet sadness at the thought of being alone for a long period of time. 

_ “I’m sorry, Yaz. If I’d have thought about it I could’ve come and moved in with you.” _

Yaz laughs at that, “And where would you have slept? My house is one bed.” 

_ “Oh yeah,” _ Ryan pouts as he scratches his head. 

“Right, I’m gonna walk Luna now, thanks Ryan.” Yaz says sincerely, always appreciative of Ryan’s ability to ease her worries.

_ “No problem, Yaz. Call me later if you need me, alright?”  _ he replies with a kind smile.

“I will. See ya Ry.” she waves and he returns the gesture.

_ “Bye, Yaz.” _

Yaz stands as the call ends, forcing herself toward the front door and the harness and leash that reside on the hooks next to it before she changes her mind. “Come on girl!” Yaz calls. “We’re going for a walk.” 

At the final word Luna is in front of Yaz instantly, tongue out and tail wagging in excitement as Yaz fixes the working harness around her chest. “Stay still will you? Or we’ll never make it out!”

* * *

The gentle breeze is refreshing as Yaz sucks in a few deep breaths, Luna trotting along happily next to her, nose pointing up in intrigue as she takes in all the smells surrounding her, forcing them to a stop by a blooming set of flowers. 

Yaz walks to her closest park, keeping to the path as her gaze slowly trails over the park’s emptiness. In the distance she can see a couple walking together and the sight unwillingly tugs at her heartstrings. She thinks of the emptiness of her own house, of how that light mist of longing has slowly been forming into a thick fog for quite some time, accelerated by the forced isolation currently sweeping the nation. 

Her grip on the leash in her hand gives Yaz a comforting reminder of the company padding away next to her, and when she looks down, Luna is already looking up at her, mouth hanging open as she pants. Yaz always thinks it looks like she’s smiling up at her, the thought leaving a more welcome warmth floating through her chest as she catches the enthusiastically wagging tail in the corner of her vision. 

“What would I do without you, eh, girl?” Yaz murmurs as she continues to walk, making the most of the opportunity to burn off excess nerves before her meeting later. 

* * *

It’s late afternoon when Yaz’s phone rings with a call. Picking the device up off the coffee table and muting the TV that’s idly playing crappy daytime shows, Yaz taps the green button on the screen and answers the call.

“Hey, Son.”

_ “Y’alright, Yaz?”  _ her sister asks casually down the phone. Yaz can hear music playing quietly in the background and goes on the assumption Sonya’s probably sitting in her room. 

“Yeah, I’m ok. Been up to much today?” Yaz asks, glancing at her watch to see the time read 3:30pm. 

_ “Not really. Got out of bed about — twenty minutes ago.” _

“Sonya!” Yaz chastises, rolling her eyes even though she knows her sister can’t see it. 

_ “What? It’s not like I’ve got anything better to do.” _

“You’re just as bad as Ryan.” Yaz sighs though she’s smiling.

_ “Wouldn’t mind being in bed with him to be fair.” _

Yaz’s face grimaces at the thought, “Eurgh, Sonya that’s disgusting.”

_ “Why? I keep telling you to give me his number.” _ Sonya teases playfully down the line.

“Yeah, and I’m not giving it you.” 

_ “Such a spoilsport, Yaz.”  _ Sonya replies, and Yaz can practically hear her grin through the phone.

“Whatever,” Yaz laughs lightly, scratching at the fur of Luna’s coat, its softness between her fingertips a grounding sensation. 

There’s a brief lull in conversation before Sonya speaks up again.  _ “How’re you feeling about your meeting in a bit?”  _ she asks with the knowledge of how anxious her sister has been about the impending call. 

“Alright, kinda nervous, kinda anxious _—_ but that was expected.” she chuckles in a self-deprecating manner.

Sonya picks up on it.  _ “Eh, none of that. You’re gonna be great, I know how excited you got about ideas for this book. Just bring that energy to the meeting and you’ll be fine. You’ve got Luna, remember — and your meds,”  _ there’s a pause,  _ “You took them?”  _

“I will in a bit. I promise.” Yaz’s lips pull up in a small smile, appreciative of her sister's concern. 

_ “You better.”  _ Sonya chides lovingly.  _ “You doing alright on your own, by the way?”  _

Yaz’s hand moves to Luna’s belly, patting it like a drum. “Yeah, think it would be worse if I didn’t have Luna but _—_ I’m coping.” 

_ “Coping?”  _ Sonya asks, a hint of worry in her voice.

“I’m fine Son, honest. Just a bit lonely, that’s all. And we’ve only been like this a week. I know we have FaceTime and stuff but it's not really the same as seeing actual people.” Yaz replies honestly, venting her frustration at their situation.

_ “Yeah I get you. I wish you came here, Yaz.”  _ Sonya speaks quietly and Yaz feels herself soften. 

“Me too.” Yaz gives Luna’s belly a final pat before she stands, “Anyway I best go. Gotta get myself ready for this meeting.” her voice shakes a little on the final word, and Sonya catches it. 

_ “Yaz?” _

“Hm?”

_ “You’re gonna be great. Love you.” _

“Love you too. Bye Son.”

_ “Bye.” _

* * *

By the time it hits 5:30pm, Yaz is pacing around her kitchen, fingers pressing against the bridge of her nose while Luna brushes against the side of her leg. “I  _ hate  _ video calls, Luna.  _ Hate  _ them. Why did this stupid lockdown have to happen? I would’ve preferred a bloody face to face meeting.” Yaz groans in frustration at herself as she continues to despise video calls inwardly. 

“Come on, Yaz.” she says to herself, leaning against the counter, clammy palms flat against the cool surface as she looks down into her now cold, barely touched cup of tea. “You can do this. Just remember what Ryan and Sonya said. ‘You’re gonna be fine.’” she parrots in an attempt to force confidence into her anxious mind. 

By 5:45pm, Yaz has changed into a smart floral blouse, hair back in a tight bun, though leggings remain on her lower half. The one advantage of a meeting over  _ Zoom _ being the ability to remain comfortable while still looking professional on the top half. 

Now back in her studio, Yaz is logged in, sat down, and ready to go with initial sketches set out in front of her. Her chest feels tight with nerves and she begins her usual breathing techniques while she unconsciously scratches at her thigh in an anxious tick that Luna is quick to stop, a paw placing itself over the top of her hand. Glancing down at her companion, Yaz’s hand moves to fuss Luna’s head as the dog presses closer, sensing her owner’s anxious energy. “Thanks girl.” Yaz murmurs quietly as her eyes scan over the work lain out before her. 

When it hits 5:55pm, Luna is half in Yaz’s lap, providing a grounding pressure against the woman’s body as she strokes through deep brown fur, leaning down to huddle closer to Luna and breathe in her comforting scent. It’s then that she hears a ping from her computer. Lifting her head, Yaz sees a new message has popped up from her one and only contact on the app, Jae Smith:

_ Jae Smith [5:55pm]: Hey! It’s Jae here, just making sure you’re ready before we start? _

_ Jae Smith [5:55pm]: Can never get the hang of this thing so if anything goes timey wimey it’s me not you. _

The tone is casual, and it’s something Yaz is thankful for even though the stranger on the other end of the message has no idea of her nerves. 

_ Yasmin Khan [5:56pm]: Hi Jae, all good this end. Ready when you are.  _

It takes another couple of minutes for the next notification to pop up, and it has Yaz swallowing the lump in her throat and gripping a little tighter into the fur of Luna’s coat.

_ Jae Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. _

Yaz takes a breath before she clicks the link and it takes her to the online meeting room where she’s met with a video playback of herself and a black screen.

_“Hello?_ _Can you see me?”_ A Northern twang punctuates Yaz’s earphones as she internally rolls her eyes at the woman’s lack of technology skills.

“Erm, no.

_ “Oh for– Sorry, one sec.”  _ There’s a moment's pause until the screen changes and the other half of Yaz’s screen pops up with a beaming blonde in a horrendous Hawaiian shirt, and any worries Yaz had about being stuck working with a boring middle-aged woman dissipates immediately.  _ “Ah! There we are. Hi Yaz! Can I call you Yaz?”  _ Jae waves enthusiastically through the screen and Yaz offers a timid smile in return.

Already feeling more at ease, Yaz speaks up, “Hi Jae, and yeah, you can.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it look so long to update LMAO but you've got two beefy chapters to enjoy now, so we feeding you WELL

_“Ah! There we are. Hi Yaz! Can I call you Yaz?” Jae waves enthusiastically through the screen and Yaz offers a timid smile in return._

_Already feeling more at ease, Yaz speaks up, “Hi Jae, and yeah, you can.”_

* * *

_“Brilliant! It’s nice to meet you, Yaz!”_ Jae exclaims as she messes with some papers on her desk off-screen. She looks back up into the camera before speaking again, _“Sorry about all that, by the way. I’m rubbish with anything other than a pencil and a notebook and a fresh pack of custard creams. When I say I’m like a granny when it comes to technology it’s not an exaggeration.”_ Jae’s face scrunches slightly in her honesty as she brings a full pack of said biscuit into view, her nose creasing and eyes crinkling in a way that Yaz thinks is ridiculously cute. The distraction sets her at ease a little as she subtly fusses the top of Luna’s head.

“It’s alright, you can’t be as bad as my dad.” she quips quietly, forcing herself to engage. It pays off with the sound of Jae’s laugh.

 _“I bet I could give him a run for his money.”_ she grins, dimples denting her cheeks. _“Anyway, how’s isolation life been treating you, Yaz? I’ve never seen Sheffield so quiet.”_

Yaz shuffles in her seat, mind briefly wandering to the emptiness of her house and the lack of human contact it provides. “Erm, not too bad.” she lies, hoping Jae doesn’t pick on the stutter in her voice. “Just been drawing a lot and watching crappy TV. And FaceTiming my family, they like to check up on me.” There’s a pause where Yaz realises she should probably ask the question back, “What about you? How’re you doing?” 

Jae’s leg comes into view as she speaks, lifting it up to rest on her chair as her arm wraps loosely around it, leaning back casually. Yaz somewhat envies her relaxed demeanor. _“Honestly? I think I’m losing the plot. I hate being cooped up inside. Always have done. It’s sending me doolally, I swear! A great example being this morning,”_ Jae’s face scrunches into a grimace as she talks, _“I left a blue sock in the wash with my only white shirt and–”_

“Oh no,” Yaz mutters and Jae chuckles lightly.

 _“Yeah exactly. Hence this_ **_lovely_ ** _shirt I’m currently wearing.”_ Jae says, gesturing to the offending item hanging loosely from her form. 

“I mean _—_ it’s nice.” Yaz knows the lie is terrible, but the grin pulling at Jae’s lips suggests no offense. 

_“It’s ok, Yaz. You can say it’s ugly.”_

Yaz’s smile becomes a little bigger and her shoulders fall a little looser at Jae’s honesty, “It’s _—_ kind of ugly, yeah. Sorry.”

 _“No offense taken! This shirt is horrendous,”_ Jae laughs, and Yaz holds her smile, head ducking as she stifles a laugh, still a tad too nervous to let it out. 

_“Oh! By the way,”_ Jae starts up again, almost bouncing in her seat as enthusiasm pitches her voice up a touch, _“Before we start, I just wanted to say thank you for being a part of this project. When I saw your work I got so excited because it is really, properly brilliant so I was_ **_so_ ** _happy when you agreed to come on board.”_

Yaz feels herself flush at Jae’s statement, cheeks heating up enough that she hopes it isn’t visible on her webcam. She feels a little flustered at the compliment as her next words clumsily slip off her tongue. “No, no. Thank _you_ Jae. I um, I was basically brok– I mean I was struggling a bit for work before this. So you’ve sort of _—_ saved me?” 

Yaz inwardly curses her choice of words, the temptation to smack herself on the head extremely high. 

_Way to make yourself look good, Yaz._

_“Well I find it hard to believe that!”_ Jae responds in shock. _“You’re stuff’s brilliant Yaz, absolutely brilliant. I promise.”_ The genuine smile that Jae sends through the screen calms Yaz as she nods in agreement, still scratching lightly at Luna’s fur. 

_“Right — shall we get down to business?_ ” Jae continues, “ _Get the boring part over and done with?”_

“Ready when you are,” Yaz affirms with a bemused smile, organising the abundance of sketches covering her desk before straightening up in her seat. 

_“So, am I right in thinking you’ve read the summary of the story?”_ Jae begins, and Yaz watches as her face fixes into ‘work mode’ when a hint of concentration crinkles Jae’s features. She takes particular note of the adorable little frown line between Jae’s eyebrows, _“If you haven’t, that’s absolutely fine — it’s a children’s book, so, like — it doesn’t take much out-of-the-box thinking.”_

“I have read it, yeah,” Yaz confirms with a nod, shoulders freeing a little when she remembers back to the morning she’d received the overly casual email. “Kinda wished I had a book like this to read when I was little, to be honest. It’s a really great idea, Jae.” she admits, briefly thinking back on difficult younger years when a character like the one soon to flaunt across pages would’ve helped a struggling child.

 _“Oh,”_ Jae replies with unbidden surprise, her gaze flickering between her desk and the screen. Yaz is pretty sure she doesn’t imagine the colour that blooms lightly across Jae’s cheeks. _“Thanks, Yaz. That means loads.”_ Her smile is genuine and appreciative when her gaze focuses fully back on the screen and Yaz couldn’t not return an expression so kind. _“And the description of the main character? Pretty sure I attached it in the email, but I think I’m cursed with bad tech skills, if I’m honest with you.”_

Yaz’s free hand flits across her desk in search of the printed email, taking a breath when she plucks it from under a sketch covered page, “Amy Pond; a redhead little girl with wide green eyes, dressed in a starry night dress and red wellies?” Yaz recites, her smile growing as she talks, her love for the project growing minute by minute. “She’s feisty and cheeky but lonely, too. That’s why she sets out for the stars to find a friend.” 

_“That’s the one,”_ Jae grins back at her, excitement practically buzzing through the screen. _“If you want a longer version of the description, I can always type one up and email it to you, by the way?”_

Yaz reaches to pick up the specific sketchbook she’s bought for this project as she considers the offer, “This one’s pretty detailed anyway, but I’m sure a bit extra can’t do any harm?” 

_“Brilliant. I’ll send it your way right after this.”_

Yaz feels her heart rate pick up as she flicks open the book in front of her, eyes darting over the art she’d produced on a whim before the meeting. No matter whether it’s for business or pleasure, art is personal, and showing it off for the first time is always nerve wracking, not helped by her heightened anxiety. So Yaz takes a deep breath, gives Luna a quick pat off screen, and speaks up, “I’ve actually started on some illustrations — just mock-ups and ideas, really — if you wanted to check them out?” Yaz can hear the slight tremor to her voice but pushes on through. It’s Jae’s book, she’s going to see it eventually anyway, “They might not be the finished copy of the main character, or exactly what you’re imagining, but —” 

_“Hey, hey, enough of that,”_ Jae cuts off carefully, her gentle tone dousing Yaz’s nerves, _“I’d love to see what you’ve come up with, Yaz,”_ she implores with strong sincerity, and the way she shifts forwards on her elbows in clear excitement cements her truthfulness in Yaz’s worry ridden mind.

 _“I’ve done a few, but this is the first idea.”_ Yaz lifts the book from her desk, twisting it in her hands to prop it up with the initial designs facing Jae, eyes peeping over the top in nervous anticipation of the other woman’s response. 

“What do you think?” Yaz prompts, stomach twisting at Jae’s silence, mind immediately going worst case. She briefly glances at her side of the screen to remind herself of flaming red hair, a star speckled nightdress, and red wellies to match the little girls shoulder length locks that are partly concealed by a navy bobble hat. In her tiny painted hands is a small suitcase fit to burst, a stripy blue sock hanging out the side of it, like a whole universe is barely contained inside.

 _“Wow,”_ Jae echoes, and Yaz’s gaze snaps back to the blonde who is edging a touch closer to the screen, a beaming grin taking over half her face, dimples bunching at the corners of her lips as her hands clap together in unabashed excitement, _“That’s brilliant, Yaz. Just what I was imagining, actually. You sure you’re not psychic?”_ she jokes, and it lands, Yaz allowing a relieved laugh to breeze past her lips. 

“Thank you. I wasn’t sure how much detail you were looking for, so I tried my best to get an even balance.”

 _“It’s brilliant, Yaz. Honestly,”_ Jae maintains, _“Do you have any more?”_ she asks, her eagerness sending a thrill through Yaz. 

“Sure, let me just —” Yaz trails off as she flips to the next page, far less hesitant to show her art to the webcam this time as she displays a sketch of little Amy’s Pond’s side profile. 

Jae’s resounding gasp and ever widening grin brightens Yaz’s own smile, _“Yaz,”_ Jae breathes, absorbing the artwork before her through big green eyes, _“You know when I said your art’s brilliant earlier?”_

“Yeah?”

 _“Well my point resolutely stands, because_ ** _that_** _—_ _is brilliant!”_

Yaz muffles a chuckle into the back of her sketchbook before slowly bringing it down to reveal probably her most confident smile so far. “Thank you,” she says, forcing herself to accept the compliment, but it’s obvious to anyone that Jae’s enthusiasm is anything but fake. “I um _—_ I have stuff other than this too, a few other designs and a _very_ basic cover piece but I can just scan those and send them across to you, if you want? Save me keep showing you over a webcam?” 

Jae nods hastily, pearly whites still on full display. Yaz wonders if Jae’s jaw aches from how much she smiles, wonders if her own will from how contagious the expression is. “Yes please! Send me anything and everything, I’d love to see it all honestly, Yaz.” she enthuses, and Yaz quickly notes down the task for later. 

“Ok, I’ll get on that once we’re done here.” Yaz smiles, though she feels a slight pang in her chest at the thought of their call ending.

“Brilliant,” Jae quips in return, and Yaz swears she catches the same faltering smile on the other woman’s lips.

After a while of easy back and forth discussion, ideas bouncing between screens and scrawled and scribbled on paper, the two women make decent progress. Both of them are lost in the importance of the next piece of narrative _—_ Amy Pond has just stepped onto the ship that crash-lands in her back in her back garden, and to her surprise, it’s bigger on the inside _—_ when Yaz hears a small yelp through her laptop speakers. She looks up from her half filled page of notes to find Jae’s attention elsewhere. 

“Everything okay, Jae?” she asks with a quizzical frown, pen stilling against paper. 

_“Missy,”_ the scold is muffled with Jae’s head ducking away from the microphone. Yaz feels her lips twitch upwards when Jae dips off screen for a moment, only to pop back up with a cat scooped in her arms, _“You little — oh! Sorry Yaz, forgot you were there for a moment.”_ she says with an apologetic grin. 

With a huff, Jae shifts the brown tabby into her lap, seemingly ignoring the displeased groans of the animal when her gaze flits back up to the screen, her focus returning to Yaz. _“This,”_ Jae gestures to the cat dramatically, “ _is Missy. Missy, meet Yaz. She’s a sweetheart, I promise.”_ The blonde insists as she gently pets the mardy tabby, feigning ignorance to the irritated grumbles and cheap shots her claws make at Jae’s exposed skin.

Yaz’s features morph into one of bemusement as she watches the cat, failing to see how she’s a sweetheart in any sense of the word, “She seems–” 

_“Grumpy? Ungrateful? Spiteful?”_

_Ah._ Yaz realises she missed the initial sarcasm as Jae lists off Missy’s clearly _wonderful_ attributes, the cat only solidifying her bad attitude when she hisses at the kiss Jae brushes against the top of her head, the other woman barely avoiding the swipe of claws at her eye. _“I feed her, I wash her, I let her sleep in my room, I even clean up after her when she decides my shoes are the perfect place to go to the toilet.”_ Jae huffs, and Yaz can’t help the light chuckle that slips off her tongue at the final admission. Missy’s weak scratches continue as Jae chastises the feline, “ _And this is what I get.”_

Yaz’s hand flies up to her mouth to cover the light chuckle that grows into a colourful laugh at Jae’s deadpan expression. _“You know what the worst thing is?”_ Jae offers, eyebrows lifting a touch.

“What?” 

_“She only acts like this around me.”_ she gripes, fixing Missy with a scowl when she gives faux affection in the form of a nuzzle against her neck before hissing in her ear. Yaz’s laughter only increases at the sight, the relationship between them like watching a cartoon with how badly Missy plays up Jae. _“Around my flatmate she’s as good as gold!”_ she huffs. 

At the sound of Yaz’s laughter, Jae’s focus shifts from the cat now attacking her messy hair and knotting the ends of blonde strands between her claws. Instead, her gaze falls back to the screen where Yaz’s hand falls away from her mouth, too caught up in the hilarity of the moment to hide her laughter any longer. 

_“She hates me Yaz, I swear.”_ she grumbles, flinching at the slight tug of Missy’s claws wrapping around the tips of her hair. 

Yaz eventually manages to calm herself, a gentle warmth forming in her chest at the amusement Jae and Missy have allowed her. She feels herself relax further, Jae’s presence offering a sense of calm that washes over her in a peaceful wave. 

Yaz hasn’t felt that in a long time. It’s unsettling, but in a good way, and does its job in bringing her back to the moment, laughter finally subsiding into an easy smile. 

After a moment of amicable silence, Jae speaks up, _“Have any pets, Yaz? If you do, I hope for your sake they’re not as evil as mine.”_

Missy quietly grubles at Jae’s statement. 

Yaz feels her anxiety spike at the question, mouth suddenly going dry as she forces a hard swallow. She knows Jae doesn’t mean anything by it. It’s a perfectly reasonable question. And to any other person it would be a simple answer. _Yes, I do. I have a dog and she’s called Luna._ But Luna is a service dog, and in her time Yaz has met her share of judgemental people. 

Yet, Jae’s natural aura of kindness radiates through the webcam and settles Yaz a little. Though, not enough that Luna ends up making the decision for her, sensing her owner's anxiety and jumping into Yaz’s lap to offer comfort and nuzzle at her neck, a damp nose tickling dark skin. 

“Um–” 

There’s a loud gasp _—_ then, _“You have a dog?!”_ A shrill noise signals Missy’s sudden departure from Jae’s lap as the blonde springs up in her seat. _“Oh, my God. Hello, you.”_ Jae beams through the webcam, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Luna, _“What’s your name?”_

Yaz scratches behind Luna’s ear and holds her close with an arm curled around her middle to calm her quickening heart, whether the speed of its beats pick up is because of her anxiety or the way Jae’s face lights up, Yaz isn’t sure, “Y– yeah. This is Luna.” 

Jae shows off a kilo-watt grin at the sight of the canine, her smile growing until it reaches her eyes at the discovery of her name. _“Luna?! That’s a brilliant name. Yaz, I don’t even know her yet and I already love her.”_

The declaration has a small chuckle falling past Yaz’s lips, and she watches as Jae’s head tilt mirrors Luna’s own in her excitement, _“How old is she, Yaz? Have you had her since she was a pup? Oh! Does she know any cute tricks? I bet she does. She seems like a good girl to me. She’s so pretty, too. I’d love to meet her.”_

Luna looks straight into the camera, tongue flopping out the side of her mouth, and Yaz swears she hears the quietest squeal come through the speakers, _“Look at that face!”_ Jae’s cheeks flush while Yaz’s apprehensive smile grows as she witnesses Jae’s excitement. _“Sorry. I love dogs — so much I can get a bit over excited sometimes — if you couldn’t tell.”_ she grimaces with a twinge of embarrassment and Yaz immediately wants to wash her worries away. So she does.

“Jae it’s fine. Honestly. I’ll answer any questions you have about her. I love her a lot, too,” Yaz takes a breath before continuing, “She’s three years old and I’ve had her since she was a puppy. She’s actually um–” Yaz ponders for a moment before making her decision. “She’s a service dog.” she reveals.

Jae’s face softens immediately, and Yaz knows she made the right choice in telling her. She feels a little bubble of confidence expand in her chest and holds onto it tight, using it along with Jae’s gentle smile to will herself to carry on. “The proper name for it is psychiatric assistance dog. She does a lot for me but, I don’t want to bore you with the details.” she remarks bashfully, gaze dropping to Luna as her hand moves to fuss the top of her head and under her chin. 

_“Yaz,”_ Jae utters, _“That’s_ **_so_ ** _far from boring. That’s amazing. She must be a very special dog.”_ she smiles, her eyes sparkling with wonder. 

“Yeah, she is. Aren’t you, Luna?” Yaz says, aiming the question toward said dog whose tail just wags in delight.

 _“If you don’t mind me asking,”_ Jae speaks tentatively, _“What exactly does she do? Sorry, I’m just intrigued. You don’t have to–”_

“No, no! It’s fine, honestly. I don’t mind talking about it.” Yaz reassures. She’s never had a problem explaining Luna’s job _—_ as long as it’s to a person like Jae. 

“So, basically, she’s trained to sense panic and anxiety attacks, along with preventing destructive behaviours. I can _—_ show what I mean, if you like?” she offers.

 _“I mean, not if it’s going to trigger you or anything Yaz, — or stress you out if you’re not comfortable,”_ Jae responds with a slight frown of concern as she tucks a strand of blonde behind her ear, _“That’s the last thing I’d want to do.”_

Yaz’s heart melts at her worry. “It won’t, I promise.”

_“As long as you’re sure?”_

“I’m sure.” Yaz smiles and Jae returns it, her genuine interest making Yaz feel more comfortable. “So if I do this,” Yaz begins scratching her upper arm vigorously and as soon as Luna notices, she’s pawing at her hand and nudging it away with her nose, even covering the area with her head to prevent the action further. 

Yaz watches as Jae’s eyes widen, hazel-green sparkling with fascination. _“That’s incredible,”_ Jae breathes, barely audible through Yaz’s speakers.

“She also trained for deep pressure therapy, which means, when I need it, she puts the pressure of her body weight on my lap. And what that does is help relieve physical and mental anxiety and calm me down. So when you asked me if I had a pet earlier, she sensed my anxiety and that's why she hopped up here.” Yaz finishes with a smile, appreciating Jae’s quiet and the endearing amount of concentration painting her features. 

Yet they quickly contort into remorse, and Jae’s tone fast becomes apologetic, _“Oh, wait, I’m so sorry, Yaz, I had no idea — me and my big mouth, always talking before I think. I’m sorry if I caused you any anxiety.”_

Yaz chuckles, waving Jae’s worry off, “Don’t worry about, Jae. You couldn’t have known. It happens often enough anyway.” 

There’s a brief pause as Yaz watches Jae consider something, though she thinks she already knows what it might be. _“Yaz?”_

“Yeah?”

 _“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to,”_ Jae adds as clarification, _“But how come that question gives you so much anxiety?”_

Yaz’s smile shrinks just a touch, her suspicions correct. “Well, I have _—_ uh _—_ run into a few people who’ve been a bit judgemental about Luna being a service dog. Because she’s for mental health and because it’s not a ‘visible illness’ people don’t take it seriously. So, it has ended up with me receiving some _—_ not so nice comments in the past.” Yaz says with a despondent smile that pulls her lips tight. “Mostly the _—_ erm _—_ older generation to be honest.”

Yaz watches as Jae’s frown deepens, something hot and raw simmering behind her eyes, _“Bloody boomers.”_ she huffs, the comment making Yaz snort, _“Don’t know what they’re on about. Honestly people can be so flippin’ ignorant, Yaz. Especially when they spout facts which are such rubbish they ought to be spewing sewage._ _I’m so sorry you’ve had to deal with that in the past.”_

“Yeah it sucks _—_ a lot. But those interactions are rare.”

 _“That doesn’t give those people any excuse, though. You shouldn’t have had any interactions like that at all.”_ There’s a beat. _“And for what it’s worth, Yaz, I think you’re really brave. I’m glad you’ve got a dog as wonderful as Luna with you through all this.”_ Her tone is soft when she speaks and it makes Yaz’s heart flutter in her chest, her own smile growing on her lips. 

“Thank you, Jae. That really means a lot.” 

Jae’s smile is earnest, eye crinkling at the corners in a way that makes Yaz’s chest tingle, _“Honestly. It’s wonderful. I reckon you don’t get told that enough,”_ she speaks so sincerely that it makes Yaz flush, her heart picking up speed in her chest as she ducks her head and shifts in her seat. She’s not used to such kindness from someone she barely knows _—_ it’s a little overwhelming. 

“Thanks, Jae,” Yaz mutters under her breath. She means it, though a sudden spike of worry jolts through her that her quiet response didn’t come across as genuine. Her fingers start fidgeting in her lap nervously, seeking out a loose thread on her leggings, the action replaced with messing with Luna’s fur when the dog jumps into her lap again. Yaz’s gaze darts up when she hears Jae speak next, her words a flurry. 

_“Um — do you want to know a story?”_

The sudden subject change throws Yaz. Sitting stunned for a touch too long that Jae is already talking again by the time she comes up with a response.

 _“Can you see this scar on my chin? Right here?”_ When Yaz focuses on the screen, the only part of Jae she can see is her chin at a very _—_ _odd_ _—_ angle. Though she can see what Jae is on about, there’s a small mark right in the middle of chin that Yaz can just make out through the grainy webcam. Before she can answer the question, Jae is off again, _“I fell over a dog when I was six when I was rollerblading down a hill,”_ sticking her tongue between her teeth and lower lip, Jae’s chin juts out further in a goofy facial expression. Yaz huffs to cover a laugh, resisting the temptation to screenshot. They aren’t close enough for that _—_ yet. She hopes. 

When Jae finally shifts back into full view, it’s with an adoring grin, _“I still love dogs, though — and it wasn’t his fault, bless him. He just wanted to play. I think his name was Teddy, but he wanted to be called Elektro; king of the world.”_

Yaz feels immediate confusion at Jae’s proclamation, and she can’t help her intrigue at the dogs _—_ title? “How do you know–”

 _“He told me.”_ Jae affirms with a sharp nod.

Yaz can’t stop the laugh that bubbles up from her throat at Jae’s faux seriousness. The woman on the other side of the screen is like no one she’s ever known, and it’s not even been a day. “You’re so strange,” she lightly teases, the statement allowing a smug grin to form on Jae’s face.

 _“Nothing wrong with being strange, Yaz.”_ Jae quips, and Yaz can’t tell if it's the fuzzy quality, or if Jae just winked.

“Suppose you’ll be telling me Missy doesn’t wanna be called Missy next.”

 _“You’re right, she doesn't. She much prefers The Destroyer of Worlds.”_ Jae’s face is once again deadly serious, though the guise quickly cracks, her lip twitching at the corner, eyes glinting with mischief. Yaz only laughs harder than before, because honestly? It seems believable from the short amount of time she’s met the cat. 

The reverbeting buzz of a phone against wood echoes from the other end of the connection and Yaz watches Jae’s head dip down as her attention falls to the device. 

Yaz uses the brief lull to pull open a drawer of her desk and pull out a small bag of dog treats, Luna’s eyes lighting up at the sound of a rumpling packet. She idly offers Luna a treat that she takes gently before pulling another out the bag and playfully teasing her with the biscuit as the canine does a little hop in her attempt to reach the food. 

When Yaz glances to the screen, she finds a grin on Jae’s lips that makes her stomach flutter. Reluctantly pulling her gaze away from such an inviting expression, Yaz’s gaze wanders to the corner of her desktop and catches sight of the time. Her expression morphs into one of shock. Luna uses Yaz’s frozen surprise to pluck the treat from between her fingers.

 _“Alright, Yaz?”_ Jae asks, and the concern lacing her tone is what brings Yaz out of her stupor. 

Gaze flitting between Jae and the time, Yaz speaks, “Oh my God, it’s _—_ it’s almost ten, Jae.” 

Yaz sees her own shock quickly mirror itself on Jae’s face. The blonde’s gaze shoots to the side for a moment before moving back to the screen.

Yaz takes Jae’s silence as annoyance, her brain instantly scrambling for an apology as anxiety twists in her gut, “I’m sorry, I should let you go, I had no idea.” 

Luckily, Jae manages to brush off her worries with a breezy reply, “ _Hey hey, it’s fine, honestly. It’s been nice to talk to someone other than Bill for once. Plus it’s not like I’ve got anywhere else to be.”_

The finishing joke eases Yaz and settles any remaining nerves. She’s glad for Jae’s response _—_ because she’s right. It has been nice to talk to someone other than her family or Ryan, no matter how apprehensive she was to start. Not quite wanting the call to be over yet, regardless of the time, Yaz uses the opportunity to segue them into further conversation. “Bet you’re glad you have a flatmate through all this, though; kinda wish I was living with someone right now.”

“ _Yeah, Bill and I have lived together for a couple years now. I think I’m driving her a bit mad because I hate being cooped up like this but I know she loves me really.”_

Yaz can’t stop the way her heart sinks a little at the new information. She barely knows Jae, she understands that this realisation shouldn’t put such a dampener on her mood, yet _—_ “Couple years? Wow,” Yaz knows she doesn’t sound as enthusiastic as before, and she watches Jae’s eyes widen with _—_ panic?

 _“Ok but, Yaz, you count yourself lucky you live on your own because then you don’t have to deal with your best mate and her girlfriend going at it through the phone_ **_every bloody night!_ ** _”_

Yaz chokes on air at Jae’s sudden response, and as surprising as the revelation is, Yaz can only focus on one thing.

 _Friend._ Almost instantly she finds herself perking up again with a breezy laugh.

“You’re not serious?”

Jae cards a hand through her hair, almost a little flustered, _“I am serious! Yaz, they’re like rabbits. I have to put earphones in if I want a good night's sleep.”_ A quiet huff muffles its way through the speakers, _“There must be some kind of chemicals in the air at the minute — I swear. Everyone’s turned into raging horny people.”_

Through a burst of laughter, Yaz offers Jae her own qualms, “You think that’s bad? I have to wake up to _someone’s_ awful dog breath every morning.” 

Jae feigns shock, _“Are you being mean to poor Luna?”_

“Yes, I am.” 

Jae’s face scrunches in a slight grimace, _“To be fair, morning dog breath does sound pretty bad.”_

“Smells it too!”

 _“But, at least your pet likes you!”_ Jae quips back, eyes quickly glancing to the damage Missy has made to her ankle.

“That’s what you get for having a pet that wants to be called The Destroyer of Worlds.” Yaz teases back, the easy banter making every second spent talking with Jae more and more comfortable. 

Jae chuckles, eyeing the screen with a serious expression, _“You know what? I think it’s a conspiracy.”_

Yaz can’t stop the groan that leaves her lips, “ _Don’t._ You sound like my dad.” 

Jae’s lips curl up in a smirk, _“Your dad sounds like a smart man.”_

“Seems like you’d get on like a house on fire; both love conspiracies and both bad with technology.” Yaz grins, watching as Jae’s expression changes into one of mock offence.

 _“Oi! I’ve only blown a computer up_ **_once,_ ** _thank you very much.”_ she folds her arms with a playful pout and Yaz can’t tell if she’s serious or not.

“Are you _—_ ”

 _“No, I’m only joking,”_ There’s a brief pause, _“It was just the keyboard.”_

“Oh my God.”

_“So, anyway, speaking of me being a technophobe that’s prone to blowing up computers — would you mind if we swapped numbers? Just so that if we come up with ideas it’s quicker to bounce them around rather than rushing to a computer and risk them flying out your brain.”_

There’s a slight flush to Jae’s cheeks at the ask, and Yaz has a sneaking suspicion it’s because she’s hiding the real reason why she wants to exchange numbers, but she chooses to keep that knowledge to herself. One, in case she’s wrong, and two, so she has the opportunity to tease Jae about it at a later date. 

“Yeah of course. Good idea, Jae.” she praises, because as much as there is an underlying reason she’s aware of _—_ it _is_ a good idea. 

_“Brilliant! Ok, let me just,”_ Yaz watches Jae mess with her phone, and she can see through the screen how awkward she is with the device. She stifles a laugh. _“Erm — Yaz?”_

“Yeah?”

_“How do I add a contact again?”_

“You _—_ ”

_“What?”_

“You don’t know how to add a contact?”

 _“I—”_ Jae stumbles over her words, clearly a little embarrassed as she seems to tap through app after app in an unsuccessful search for the contacts icon. Yaz even catches the start of a song playing before it’s hurriedly paused. How this zoom call had gone so well _—_ Yaz has no idea.

 _“I_ **_do_ ** _. I just — sort of — forgot,”_

It takes another couple minutes but Jae gets there in the end, Yaz reciting her number three times before Jae finally inputs it in the right place and thirty seconds later Yaz is receiving a text. It consists purely of a GIF of a dog dancing. It’s adorable, and endearing that Jae would _of course_ send her something so silly. It makes Yaz’s heart swell and a soft smile pull at her lips. 

Jae is grinning down at her own phone when Yaz looks up, her thumb idly scrolling through what Yaz can assume is GIFs of more dancing animals, _“I love G-I-Fs, Yaz.”_

“It’s pronounced _—_ ” Holding back a sigh at the mispronunciation, Yaz reminds herself of Jae’s inability to use any form of technology and her patience quickly returns. If anything, it's kind of sweet how useless she is, “Never mind.”

After receiving another four dog GIFs, all equally hilarious, an idea springs into Yaz’s mind. She knows she’s prone to not promoting her work enough, knows she should be better with her social medias _—_ so why not use the opportunity now? Jae seems eager about her work and it's a good place to start, with someone who she knows is likely to appreciate her feed. She clears her throat to grab Jae’s attention, blonde locks springing up as Jae’s eyes meet the screen, “ _Uh — Jae? If you want you can follow me on Instagram, too. It’s up to you of course but I post as much as I can. I just thought you might like to because, well—”_ Yaz trails off awkwardly and curses herself. She knows could’ve worded it better, yet her consistent struggle with self promotion hinders her to no end. 

However, the warming smile on Jae’s faces eases the tension in her shoulders, _“Already one step ahead of you, Yaz. I had a look through your page this morning.”_

“Oh!” Realisation dawns on Yaz then as she taps on her Instagram notifications and scrolls through the same username over and over, a slight smirk curling her lip, “So _you’re_ the one who went through and liked all my posts.” she feels a small rush of confidence at the thought. 

Jae’s face scrunches a little as she rubs at her eyes, her hand failing to cover the slight flush to her cheeks, _“I’ll admit, I didn’t realise_ **_how_ ** _many I’d liked until afterwards.”_

The admission fits what she knows of Jae already perfectly. A little over eager in a way that’s sweet _—_ not overbearing.

Yaz can’t resist the cheeky comment that’s teeters on the tip of her tongue, something about Jae allows her confidence to flow a little easier, and Yaz already has an unending appreciation for that, “Gotta admit, I’m just surprised you actually _know_ how to work Instagram,” she mumbles under breath, but knowing it’s loud enough for Jae to hear. 

_“Oi!”_

It’s around another hour later, the clock ticking closer to midnight when Luna gives a faint tug at Yaz’s sleeve. The action cuts Yaz off mid sentence and breaks the bubble they’d so carefully crafted throughout the evening. Yaz has already forgotten how long it’s been since they actually talked about something work related. “You ok, babe?” Yaz quietly asks Luna when she invites the fluffy brown lump to jump onto her lap. Luna replies with an insistent whine, though her tail still continues to wag. Yaz catches the dopey smile and small wave Jae sends Luna before sighing softly. 

_“Hey, it’s getting late and I’m pretty sure Luna deserves some attention now, Yaz. I won’t keep you two any longer. This was really good, though. I haven’t been this productive in_ **_weeks._ ** _”_ she speaks with slight reluctance, and Yaz only feels the same about the impending end of their call _—_ but Jae is right. It’s getting late. 

“I think you’re right, yeah. She’s getting a bit antsy with me now. Reckon she needs the loo.” Luna’s ears perk up in confirmation at Yaz’s guess, “And thanks, really. It’s been nice to talk to someone other than a furry animal, as great as this one is.” Yaz admits, fussing Luna behind the ear before giving her a final pat that has her whining in impatience. 

_“She says she heard that, Yaz,”_ Jae quips with a cheeky grin, _“Anyway, I’ll leave you both be, but I’ll be in touch, definitely. You won’t be able to get rid of me now.”_

Yaz can’t resist a final tease, “Oh, _no._ ”

 _“Hey!”_ Jae pouts with a playful spark in her eyes.

Yaz feels herself melt at the expression as she smiles softly, trying to hide downtrodden feeling creeping up on her through their goodbyes, “Goodnight, Jae. Hope your mate doesn’t keep you too late. Talk soon, yeah?”

 _“Ugh don’t remind me. Bet they’re already at it. But, yes, definitely speak soon!”_ With a small wave, Jae says her final goodbyes, _“Goodnight, Yaz. Goodnight, Luna.”_

It’s Yaz who cuts off the call, she doubts Jae knows how to. 

Taking a breather, she slumps back in her chair with a sigh, yet before she has the chance to do anything else, Luna is nudging at her thigh with a grumble and suddenly Yaz is jumping up. “Yes! Sorry Luna, come on!” 

While Luna relieves herself, Yaz sits at the kitchen table and she can’t help but hear the silence of her house. The clock ticks loudly on the wall and the boiler clicks over, a quiet hum consuming the room. Without Jae’s presence, everything feels so _—_ quiet. When Luna trots inside she must feel the way Yaz’s mood drops, sidling up to her with infinite love and affection, damp nose nudging at her hand in request of fuss that Yaz is all too happy to give. The feel of Luna’s fur is grounding, and reminds her she’s not alone, though she struggles to fight off the heaviness in her head.

Deciding bed seems like the best option _—_ because sleeping means you aren’t thinking _—_ Yaz readies herself before falling under the covers and inviting Luna to join her, the canine rumpling the sheets as she shuffles her way underneath them. It makes Yaz chuckle when Luna’s head pops up next to her own as she huffs, moving herself into a comfortable position. Letting an arm droop over her companion, Yaz tries not to let her mind wander too deeply into the cracks of her mind, instead focusing on messy blonde hair, emerald eyes, and terrible Hawaiian shirts.

When Yaz wakes, it’s with great reluctance, her alarm shrill in her ears as her hand blindly searches for the button to turn it off. She tugs the covers over her head, consuming herself in the darkness under her sheets as she starts to dread the day ahead. Her chest feels heavy and her mind is on a downward spiral as she thinks back to an empty house, on her own, only her brain for company. And what terrible company it is being. 

Ten minutes later, the sound of Yaz’s alarm stabs her ears again and with a huff she sits up on her elbows to reach and switch it off. While her arm is out the covers, she grabs for her phone, dropping back down in the sheets as her head sinks into the pillow. When the screens light up, it’s with three messages from Jae _—_ sent at a ridiculous hour of the morning. Interest piqued, Yaz brings up the text thread and snorts with laughter.

_Jae [3:47AM]: image_

_Jae [3:47AM]: if you wanna know how my night’s gone my plant just fell on my head while I was asleep. Hope you’re sleeping well!_

In the picture, Jae has taken a selfie from a less than flattering angle, soil covering her face while the flash of her phone makes her squint. Her eyes are tinged with sleep and her hair is a mess. Yaz can’t stop laughing at the picture, so much so that it has Luna shifting awake next to her with a dissatisfied huff; clearly Yaz isn’t the only one who would rather stay in bed. 

Plucking up the courage, Yaz opens her own camera and sends back a picture of a tired facepalm. 

_Yaz [9:13AM]: image_

_Yaz [9:13AM]: Oh my GOD, i don’t even know how to process that_

_Yaz [9:14AM]: hope you’re a big fan of soil I guess?_

Not two minutes later does Yaz receive a ridiculous article from Jae that she can’t help but quickly scroll through;

 _Jae [9:16AM]: [link]_ **_Gardengate: Thirteen Rarely-Known Uses of Soil_ **

_Jae [9:16AM]: apparently it’s a good exfoliator? Who would’ve known_

_Yaz [9:17AM]: should’ve left it on x_

Yaz is grinning at her phone when Luna sits up on the bed, giving Yaz a pointed look _—_ it’s almost like she _knows._

“What?” Yaz quips at her, squealing when Luna rubs her face against her own, “Luna!”

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are greatly appreciated!! <3 
> 
> next up: the meeting


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